1. Technical Field
This invention relates to acoustics, and more particularly, to a system that enhances the quality of a conveyed voice signal.
2. Related Art
Communication devices may acquire, assimilate, and transfer voice signals. In some systems, the clarity of the voice signals depends on the quality of the communication system, communication medium, and the accompanying noise. When noise occurs near a source or a receiver, distortion may garble the signals and destroy information. In some instances, the noise masks the signals making them unrecognizable to a listener or a voice recognition system.
Noise originates from many sources. In a vehicle noise may be created by an engine or a movement of air or by tires moving across a road. Some noises are characterized by their short duration and repetition. The spectral shapes of these noises may be characterized by a gradual rise in signal intensity between a low and a mid frequency followed by a peak and a gradual tapering off at a higher frequency that is then repeated. Other repetitive transient noises have different spectral shapes. Although repetitive transient noises may have differing spectral shapes, each of these repetitive transient noises may mask speech. Therefore, there is a need for a system that detects and dampens repetitive transient noises.